You know it's summer when ...

I start making this!

There are a couple versions of this salad around. I have really simplified it to just the core basics. You can always add more but I like it like this. I can't call it plain and simple - it packs way too much flavor for that. But easy - yes!

Woops - yah, there should be a picture .. but you can find those other versions here, here and here. Honestly I'd rather share really good recipes than worry about getting the right pic.

One version has sugar and melted butter in the dressing .. seriously? Others add chickpeas, corns, beans, etc which I think is fine but distracts from the lovely popping of the Quinoa (I'm a sucker for anything that pops in my mouth ... poppy seeds, figs ... ). And some add avocado but I don't like that it goes slimy in the fridge.

I make a ton of this salad (at least double) and then just eat away at it.

Hehe, Axel doesn't like it so it's mine, all mine! Well ... I do share with friends. It's just too good to keep it a secret.

Quinoa, Cilantro & Lime Salad

1 cup quinoa, uncooked

2 medium tomatoes, diced
3 scallions, chopped finely
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped

Dressing:

the zest and lime of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly and add to a pot of salted water (some cook in bullion, again - I don't bother). Bring to a soft boil and let bubble away for about 10 minutes or until the little tails on the seed loosen up.
2. Drain thoroughly and at this point I allow it to cool down.
3. In the meantime, chop the tomatoes, scallions and cilantro.
4. Whisk the dressing together and then toss it all in a bowl with the cooled quinoa.
5. Refrigerate and enjoy!

I'd tell you how long it stays good in the fridge but I don't know. Mine never lasts that long.

Our New Favorite Cake

In fact he even requested it for his birthday instead of his former "favorite" carrot cake. But we had carrots that needed to go before we went on vacation and not a grapefruit in sight. So he had carrot cake. Mighty good it was, candles and all.

Essentially you're going to make an exquisite Yellow Cake Recipe, add zest to it, poke holes in it after it has baked and soak the top with syrup.

So ... blog reading and writing is a crazy thing. Recipe "adapting" is even crazier.

I first read about Pink Grapefruit Cake at Urban Comfort. She posted the recipe as "adapted from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller". So if I made / make changes to her posted recipe who do I credit now?  I'll play it safe and credit both and hope that's ok with all of you.  Ugh, the world of copyright and lawyers has just ruined the old days of recipe swapping.

Honestly, you can add any zest to this. Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit ... and it would be that kind of cake. But the grapefruit is amazing .. just the right amount of perfume balanced with flavor. I am going to try Lime ... but I have other recipes where I prefer Lemon and Orange.

Very Moist Yellow Cake Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 large eggs - if you can get your hands on home grown - do ... the very yellow yolks will give your cake a wonderful color.
1 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil of your choice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
freshly grated zest*

*about the zest
grapefruit - I used the grated of one whole grapefruit - about the size of a softball.
orange - I'd use two oranges
lemon - probably 2, maybe 3 if they were small
lime - definitely 3, maybe 4

Syrup 
the juice of whatever fruit you zested**
1/2 cup granulated sugar

**how much juice?

grapefruit - all of the juice
orange - 2/3 to all
lemon - probably the juice of 2, maybe 3 if they were small
lime - again definitely 3, maybe 4

Urban Comfort says 1 cup of juice but she didn't use it all. Neither did I. I squeezed the juice of my ONE grapefruit and added the 1/2 cup of sugar to make the syrup. ❤ leftover syrup was added to sparkling water for an amazingly refreshing drink.

1. Preheat oven to 350° F / 175°C. Line the bottom of a 9" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder together and stir in the salt. Set aside.
3. Beat sugar and eggs at medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is thickened and the whisk leaves a trail. Beat in the milk, then the oil, grapefruit zest, and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate; scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Spread the batter in the pan. 
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack.
6. Meanwhile, combine the grapefruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and simmer for 1 minute. Set aside. 
7. After the cake has cooled for about 10 minutes, carefully turn the cake out onto a cooling rack and set right sides up. Use a long skewer to poke deep holes every 3/4 inch or so all over the top of the cake.
8. Begin brushing the grapefruit syrup over the top of the cake. It may be necessary at times to wait for the syrup to soak in, but continue until you feel like it won't absorb any more. 

Let the cake cool to room temperature. Ice if desired. Easily serves 9.

Grapefruit Icing - I skipped this ... eh, just not a fan of "icing." Buttercream frosting is another matter.
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon plus
1 teaspoon fresh pink (or red) grapefruit juice

Stir the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice together in a bowl until smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle the icing on a diagonal over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Slice the cake and serve.